Fort Lauderdale Activities
 You may not realize it, but Ft. Lauderdale has come to be known as an entertainment mecca. It is no longer considered another collegiate "party central." The South Florida city is gaining a reputation as an interesting venue for the fine arts. A case in point is the Ft. Lauderdale International Film Festival, which has grown to become an impressive international event.
This year will mark the festival's 18th run. The curtain will go up Wednesday, October 22, 2003 and will fall on Sunday, November 16. The state of Florida has declared the festival one of seven Vital Local Cultural Institutions of Florida, a designation that brought with it a $100,000 grant. In 1993, festival organizers secured Blockbuster, the corporate video rental giant, as a Presenting Sponsor. Although this started as just a modest showing of American Independent movies has grown into a year-round program with a foreign influence. A full 55 percent of the films presented are foreign, with the rest being American Indies. The program counts some 4,000 members on its roster.
 The festival is housed at Cinema Paradiso, which also happens to be the name of an award-winning Italian film. The theater officially opened in 2001 as a year-round art house. The movie palace is open seven days a week and features a number of U.S. premieres of independent films from around the world. While the theater has literally invited the world to its door, it remains an intimate venue with only 210 seats. The theater features a cafe, which serves champagne, wine, beer, and snacks. The theater was the subject of a three-year, $500,000 renovation project, which included a total re-working of the auditorium and seating areas. The project was made possible through the generous contribution of some 200 people, who donated anywhere from thirty dollars to $25,000.
While it may not have the star power of Cannes, the Ft. Lauderdale International Film Festival has come to be respected around the globe for its dedication to innovative filmmaking. In addition, given its growing popularity, it is likely to become more prominent in the years ahead.
|
